The German wastewater professional Lukas Kohl has two medals in his luggage on his way back from the World Championship of Professions in Kazan. A medal of excellence because he achieved more than 700 out of a possible 1,000 points. And the "Sustainable Practice Award", which honours environmentally conscious work and the sustainable use of working materials. In the overall ranking, the 22-year-old finished fifth in his "Water Technology" skill. Gold went to China and India for almost equal points, bronze to Singapore.
"We are very proud of Lukas", says Rüdiger Heidebrecht, Head of the Department of Education and International Cooperation at the DWA and vehement advocate of the concept of lifelong learning. "Professional competitions promote the development of young people. It is not so important to be on the winner's podium in the end."
Heidebrecht had launched the idea of participating in professional skills in the wastewater industry, initially at national level and since 2013 also via WorldSkills International. The skill "Water Technology" took place this year for the first time as an official skill. Lukas Kohl, who works at Stadtentwässerung und Umweltanalytik Nürnberg, qualified for WorldSkills because last year he was the best at the DWA's Water Skill during the IFAT industrial and environmental trade fair in Munich and in the subsequent selection process. Good performances in national preliminary decisions precede participation in the World Championship of Professions.
In Russia, eleven nations took part in the "Water Technology" skill from 22 to 27 August 2019. A total of more than 1,350 young people from around 60 countries competed in 56 different disciplines. The German national team had 39 specialists with different professions from industry, trade and services on site. The German team finished 13th in the medal classification with two gold medals and one bronze medal as well as 20 other medals of excellence.
WorldSkills Kazan 2019 on YouTube!
Check out the YouTube channel of Rüdiger Heidbrecht for interesting videos from on-site!
Wastewater is one of the most common results of human water usage. As the interest in water increases overall, the amount of wastewater and its pollution grows globally. With the exception of highly industrial countries, wastewater is led directly back into the environment without proper treatment. As a result, human health, economic strength, the quality of freshwater resources and ecosystems are endangered.
Wastewater: Global trends
(Source: world water report of the United Nations 2017) Countries with a high per capita income treat approximately 70 percent of their industrial communal wastewater. Countries with an income within the upper average range treat 38 percent of their wastewater. Countries, with revenue within the lower average range, treat 28 percent. Countries which have a low average income treat 8 percent of their water, only. These estimations support the thesis, according which more than 80 percent of wastewater is led back into the environment without further treatment. Countries, with a high income, mainly treat their water with progressive technologies to maintain the environment on one hand and, in case of water shortage, have alternative water supply on the other hand. However, globally it currently is the standard procedure to keep water untreated. This particular goes for developing countries, which miss out on infrastructures, technical and institutional capacities, as well as public finances.
Professions related to the skills
To distribute awareness of the development and problems mentioned above to the public worldwide, DWA (German Association for Water, Wastewater and Waste) brought the, already executed, job competition in the field of sewage engineering technician to the World Skills in Leipzig in 2013. The closely related profession of the water supply engineering technician joined the initiative. Out of this merge, the idea of a long-term “water technology” profession world cup established, to ensure ongoing promotion of the two important professions.
Sewage engineering technician
A hot shower or the toilet flush, that’s how fast water becomes wastewater. The water is then led to sewage plants through invisible paths. The opposite process, namely to make drinking water out of wastewater, is far more complex and takes much more time. The process requires many different steps and needs professionals to do so. People, who analyze and control, that steer machines and keep track of everything. It requires skilled workers who apply their technical knowledge and their efforts for our environment in an exciting and diverse job- it requires sewage engineering technicians.
Water supply engineering technician
Water supply engineering technicians ensure that enough drinkable water is available every day. Drinkable water is our most precious food, which needs special protection. Before water can get processed to become drinkable water, it needs to be extracted. From wells or springs, for example. After its treatment in filter systems, it gets stored and distributed. These are all steps, which water supply engineering technicians take care of. They inspect water samples, supervise filter systems, process pipes out of metal or plastic and maintain and repair pipes or small electric devices. They work at waterworks or pipe networks and complete their tasks oftentimes in teams under the management of a master craftsman or foreman.
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